While Rafael Nadal triumphed at both the Australian Open and Roland Garros this year, it has not been years in women’s tennis that a player has won two Grand Slam titles in one year.
The 21-year-old Swiatek, who won Roland Garros in early June, could become the first player since 2016 to win two Grand Slam tournaments in one season. Angelique Kerber triumphed at the Australian Open and the US Open six years ago. Incidentally, the German also reached the Wimbledon final that year.
Swiatek also won the title at Roland Garros in 2020 and hopes to become the fourth player this century to win her first three Grand Slam finals. She will follow in the footsteps of Jennifer Capriati, Naomi Osaka and Ashleigh Barty. The 24-year-old Osaka even won her first four Grand Slam finals: the US Open in 2018 and 2020 and the Australian Open in 2019 and 2021.
Only two women have won the US Open as world number one since the turn of the century. Serena Williams took the title as world number one in 2002, 2013 and 2014. Justine Henin came out on top in 2007 at Flushing Meadows.
Titles Swiatek in 2022
- WTA 1000 tournament in Qatar (hardcourt)
- WTA 1000 tournament in Indian Wells (hardcourt)
- WTA 1000 tournament in Miami (hardcourt)
- WTA 500 tournament in Stuttgart (clay)
- WTA 1000 tournament in Rome (clay)
- Roland Garros (clay)
Jabeur seeks revenge after losing Wimbledon final
For Jabeur, the US Open final is all about revenge. The 28-year-old Tunisian also reached the final at Wimbledon in July, but she lost in three sets on the grass in London to Kazakh Elena Rybakina. That defeat could now earn her a place in the history books.
Jabeur hopes to become the fourth woman in the open era (since May 1968) to win the first Grand Slam tournament after losing her first major final. Evonne Goolagong Cawley (Roland Garros in 1971), Hana MandlÃková (Australian Open in 1980) and Li Na (Roland Garros in 2011) have already set a good example in recent decades.
A Grand Slam title would not only be a first for Jabeur, but for her entire continent. Never before had an African woman won a Grand Slam title in singles. Jabeur is currently number five in the world, but already knows that after the US Open she can call herself the world number two.
The final between Swiatek and Jabeur in the Arthur Ashe Stadium starts on Saturday around 22:15. The men’s final is on Sunday evening and will be between Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz and Norwegian Casper Ruud, who have never won a Grand Slam tournament.
